Hoshor Plains We picked up the shards and formed them into shapes of stars

"Oh, everything?" 'Mac asked, rolling onto his back casually and stretching out. Suddenly, a mischievous look swept over his face as his eyes narrowed, his black lips tugging upward in a conspiratorial grin, "What's the weirdest thing you know a song for?"

His mind briefly flirted with the topic that seemed to come up often lately, likely due to the impending spring: family. He absently rubbed a paw against his chest. The families he encountered here were so diverse, and most were large. Sumac wondered if he had any extended family out there that he wasn't aware of.

And the future... What kind of future did he want for himself? Gosh... I don't know. Maybe someday, after he was done wandering, he'd become a scout again for another pack, or a puppysitter, or maybe he'd...

Maybe I'd what, 'Mac? Start one myself? His eyes briefly bulged. Why did that seem such a strange idea? 'Mac couldn't imagine himself having children of his own. Why, the first time one scraped a paw, he'd be beside himself! And the constant worry would just kill him. How did parents do it?

He shook his head to clear the thought. Let the future worry about itself. He turned his mind back to Minnow.

'Mac listened intently, his brow creasing with worry as he listened to Easy's explanation of the girl's past. A pang of empathy stabbed through his heart. Suddenly, Sumac felt selfish. Yes, he'd lost his family in a terrible, dramatic fashion, but things were looking upward. Hearing of Minnow's past... well, how could he possibly stomach continuing to mope around dramatically, oh-woe-is-me, as if his suffering was somehow unique?

"That's... terrible! She's so strong for surviving all of that..." he said quietly, casting his gaze back at the stars, "I guess we all have our monsters at our tails."

He rolled onto his side and gazed at Easy, "Really? You think so? Maybe I can help her with her monsters, and she can help me with mine. I can keep her safe!" Really, 'Mac, you can't keep everyone in the world safe!